11 Tips For Staying Motivated For Exercise

Many of us start off our new fitness campaigns with a flurry. We are all keen and enthusiastic initially and then we fade away. Sound familiar? There are many simple tips for staying motivated for exercise that you can easily utilize. Several of the main reasons why people fall off the fitness trail are burnout, injury, inconvenient routine, and frustration. To avoid any of these things happening to you why not try some of the following health and fitness tips:

Enjoyable activities. Select an activity that you genuinely enjoy doing. Some people like swimming, others walking, running or jogging. If you have always been a bike enthusiast then perhaps you should consider a bike like the Life Fitness lifecycle exercise bike. Another great advantage to an exercise bike or a home gym is that no matter how bad the snowstorm, you can still burn up the calories inside your cozy home.

Exercise with a friend. This is a great way to ensure you actually show up. You will also have someone to chat to while working out. Joining a gym with a friend is a great way to banish that nervousness that most of us feel when we have to go somewhere unfamiliar on our own.

Keep it simple. Start with a simple workout routine that you can manage. Complicated workouts or routines that are too physically challenging will either leave you burnt out or with injuries, possibly both if you are really unlucky. Once you are feeling comfortable with your program, then is the time to start adding more strenuous activities and longer time intervals. Pacing yourself is important to avoid strains.

Rewards. Set yourself smaller goals along the way and when you attain them reward yourself. Perhaps you can now fit into a smaller size shirt or jeans? Maybe you are ready for an image overhaul. Rewards will give you something to look forward to and a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment.

Realistic goals. Unrealistic goals are the best way to become frustrated and disenchanted. Everyone wants to lose weight as fast as possible or to regain their college fitness overnight, but that won’t happen. You won’t drop a dress size in a week, no matter what the magazine promises you.

Set yourself achievable goals and it will be much easier to achieve. Say to yourself, this month I am going to lose 6-7 pounds. Break up a huge weight loss into smaller portions. It is much less daunting to say I need to lose 6 pounds than it is 30.

Incidental activities. All other activities that you can squeeze into your day are great. Wash your own car. Walk to the local shops. Kick the ball around the yard with kids. Walk your dog twice a day instead of once. You will burn more calories and feel less sluggish the more you are off that couch. Mixing up your forms of exercise on a daily basis is a great way to counteract boredom setting in.

Incorporate entertainment. Invest in an ipod so that you can go jogging or walking to your favorite music. The time will pass much faster, and you will find that you tend to pick up the pace without realizing it when you have music to exercise to. If you are exercising at home, why not set up your home gym or exercise bike near a TV? Watch the daily news or your favorite sitcom while you are running or pedaling away those miles.

Educate yourself. Once you realize how beneficial being fit and carrying a few less pounds is for your health you will be much more motivated to exercise. You will also be able to pick up many extra tips on how to maximize your workout, and prevent those bothersome injuries.

Eat right. You will never have the energy to workout if you are not eating the right foods. Eating the correct balance of foods will allow you to maintain your energy levels instead of crashing and burning. Lean proteins and low GI foods are great sources of energy without spiking your blood sugar levels. A nutritionist or dietitian can provide you with plenty of dietary information if you are unsure of what you should be eating.

Achievable routine. Set up a routine that you can manage. Maybe you will find it easier and less distracting to exercise while the rest of your household is asleep or out. Set aside some exercise time for yourself 3-5 times per week. Some people find it easier to pop into the gym on the way to or from work. Many mothers opt to exercise when everyone is out of the house or sleeping. The important thing is to find a routine that is going to work for you.

Be inspired. Vacation looming? School reunion? Post bust-up? There is always a great reason to start exercising and improve fitness. Look for a date in your diary a few months from now and set yourself a goal. You may want to drop a dress size by your birthday, or fit back into your bikini for summer. You may just want to be able to play with your kids on your next vacation. Having a fixed date to work towards is a great motivator for realizing your goals.

It can be easy to put the latest exercise campaign in the too hard basket. The great thing about exercise is that once you have it in your routine you will love doing it and want to continue. Use the above tips to get you through the first few weeks. Once you start to look and feel better you will be inspired to keep going.

About the Author:
Scott Gray is currently a fitness enthusiast and freelance writer who enjoys providing health and fitness tips to consumers. He maintains a fitness tips web site where you can find information about getting in shape, losing weight and how to live a healthy life style.